EPA Opts to Suggest, Not Demand, Fluorinated Chemical Cleanup

April 25, 2019 / by

Sylvia Carignan /

Bloomberg Environment

Betsy Southerland, former EPA Director, Office of Science and Technology in the Office of Water, is quoted in this article about EPA’s draft guidance for groundwater cleanup contaminated with PFAS chemicals, which omitted an emergency trigger, potentially limiting the agency’s power to intervene in the Pentagon’s efforts to clean up the ubiquitous class of chemicals.

News Critics Fret Over EPA Request for a Little Science Advice

April 23, 2019 / by

Abby Smith /

Bloomberg Environment

EPN members John Bachmann, former EPA Associate Director for Science/Policy and New Programs, Office of Air, and Chris Zarba, former Director, EPA Science Advisory Board, are quoted in this article about EPA Administrator Wheeler’s request for science advisers to consult on a narrow piece of the EPA’s proposal to restrict what science it can use—a step critics say effectively undercuts a broader review by the experts.

A former E.P.A. scientist writes about efforts to undermine science showing the grave dangers of air pollution.

April 23, 2019 / by

Vijay Limaye /

The New York Times

EPN member Vijay Limaye, former EPA Physical Scientist in Regions 5 and 9, wrote a New York Times Letter to the Editor supporting Dr. Balmes’ op-ed from April 15, Don’t Let a Killer Pollutant Loose,” about recent troubling efforts to undermine established evidence showing the grave dangers of air pollution.

Unequal: Who Are Louisville’s Top Polluters?

April 18, 2019 / by

Ryan Van Velzer /

WFPL 89.3

EPN member Dan Costa, former EPA National Program Director, Air, Climate, and Energy Research Program, was interviewed about Louisville’s top toxic air polluters.

Former Officials Warn EPA Lacks Legal Power To Scrap MATS Finding

April 18, 2019 / by

Stuart Parker /

Inside EPA

This article cites EPN and quotes from comments EPN submitted on the Trump Administration’s proposal to scrap the cost-benefit finding underpinning the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) rule.

EPA Announces Nearly Complete Ban on Asbestos

April 8, 2019 / by

Gregory Wallace /

CNN

EPN member Gary Timm, former EPA Chief of the Chemical Testing Branch, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, is quoted in this article about EPA’s Significant New Use Rule for asbestos, which will close loopholes in a decades-old partial ban. The article also ran in WRAL.com, ClickOrlando.com, News Channel 3 WREG, KPAX.com, and similar articles ran in Asbestos.com, Tech Times, FOX 43 and EcoWatch.

E.P.A. Moves to ‘Close the Door’ on Asbestos. Consumer Groups Say Loopholes Remain.

April 18, 2019 / by

Lisa Friedman /

The New York Times

EPN member Gary Timm, former EPA Chief of the Chemical Testing Branch, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, is quoted in this article about EPA’s new regulation on asbestos, which health advocates still feel falls short of the protections needed. This article also ran in The Bulletin.

EPA Gives More Time for Input on Pigment Risk

April 16, 2019 / by

Pat Rizzuto /

Bloomberg

EPN member Penny Fenner-Crisp, former EPA Senior Science Advisor to the Director, Office of Pesticide Programs, is quoted in this article about the comment period on Pigment Violet 29 being reopened due to EPA recently releasing previously restricted information about its potential health effects.

Spring Memories of Why We Must Protect Wetlands and Streams

April 5, 2019 / by

Dave Evans /

Resilience

EPN member Dave Evans, former EPA Director, Wetlands Division, wrote this op-ed about his personal connection to wetlands and streams and the Trump Administration’s proposal to dramatically reduce the scope of the Clean Water Act’s (CWA) protection of these bodies of water by redefining what constitutes “waters of the U.S.”

Coachella Valley Smog Has Gotten Worse, and Climate Change Could Be to Blame

April 12, 2019 / by

Tony Barboza /

Los Angeles Times

EPN member and advisor, Wayne Nastri, former EPA Regional Administrator in Region 9, is quoted in this article about hotter summer weather and the threat of climate change hampering efforts to slash health-damaging ozone in Coachella Valley. Wayne was also quoted in articles on the same or similar subject in My News LA, Desert Sun and Highland News.

U.S. Court Presses Pipeline Regulator on Climate Analysis

April 12, 2019 / by

Argus Staff /

Argus

Bob Sussman, EPN member and former EPA Deputy Administrator and Senior Policy Counsel to Administrator, is quoted in the this article about two lawsuits that accuse the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) of abdicating its duty to estimate greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas pipelines.

New Highway Chief Fought EPA Climate Rules

April 10, 2019 / by

Maxine Joselow /

E&E News

Margo Oge, EPN member and former EPA Director, Office of Radiation and Indoor Air, and Director of the Office of Transportation and Air Quality, is quoted in this article about Nicole Nason, the new head of the Federal Highway Administration, trying to delay EPA efforts to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from cars under President George W. Bush.

Trump Signs More Executive Orders to Push Pipeline Projects Through at All Costs

April 10, 2019 / by

Yessenia Funes /

Earther

Mark Ryan, EPN member and former EPA Regional Counsel, Region 10, is quoted in this article about two executive orders meant to limit state powers to ensure that energy infrastructure projects—pipelines, in particular—aren’t held up.

Some Links to Cancer Shown in Draft Review of Common Pesticide

April 8, 2019 / by

Steven Gibb /

Bloomber Environment

EPN member Tina Levine, former EPA Director, Health Effects Division, Office of Pesticide Programs, is quoted in this article about a long-awaited federal draft risk evaluation of Roundup weedkiller that finds some cancer connections.

EPA Accounting: Like Pretending Viagra Just Treats Hypertension

April 8, 2019 / by

David Coursen and Robert Wolcott /

The Hill

EPN members David Coursen, former EPA Office of General Counsel, and Robert Wolcott, an economist and former EPA Senior Counsel, Office of Research and Development, and Deputy Assistant Administrator for Policy, wrote this op-ed about EPA’s proposal to eliminate the co-benefits of regulating mercury emissions from any cost-benefit analysis.

Research Office Overhaul Takes Shape

April 5, 2019 / by

Kevin Bogardus /

E&E News

EPN members Bob Kavlock, former EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Research and Development and EPA’s Deputy Assistant Administrator for Science, and Thomas Burke, former EPA Science Advisor and Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Research and Development (ORD) and nominated by President Obama for Assistant Administrator to ORD, are quoted in this article about EPA’s Office of Research and Development’s plans to consolidate its science division.

Civil Penalties for Polluters Dropped Dramatically in Trump’s First Two Years, Analysis Shows

April 5, 2019 / by

Milbank News Writer /

Milbank Monitor

Cynthia Giles, EPN member and former EPA Assistant Administrator, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, is quoted in this article about civil penalties for polluters plummeting under the Trump Administration.

After Recent CASAC Meeting, Former Chairman Says, “If I Were Still Working for EPA, I Would Resign”

April 5, 2019 / by

Hank Black /

Birmingham Watch

EPN member Dr. Bernard Goldstein, former EPA Chair of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee and former EPA Assistant Administrator for Research and Development, is quoted in this article about the fractious CASAC teleconference on March 28 that exposed many troubling issues in the current review of particulate matter.

States, Environmentalists Back ‘Alternative Compliance’ In Methane Rules

April 5, 2019 / by

Lee Logan /

Inside EPA

EPN member Joe Goffman, former EPA Associate Assistant Administrator for Climate and Senior Counsel in the Office of Air and Radiation, is quoted in this article about state environmental commissioners joining environmentalists to urge EPA and state governments to bolster the use of “alternative compliance” provisions in their rules limiting methane releases.

Regulating Methane Emissions Now Means Suing the EPA

April 4, 2019 / by

Joseph Goffman and Hana Veselka Vizcarra /

Houston Chronicle

EPN member Joe Goffman, former EPA Associate Assistant Administrator for Climate and Senior Counsel in the Office of Air and Radiation, co-wrote this op-ed about the need to sue EPA to compel the agency to regulate methane.

Wheeler Claims He Fired US EPA Science Advisers to Meet Clean Air Act Deadlines

April 3 2019 / by

Zack Hale /

S&P Global

EPN member John Bachmann, former EPA Associate Director for Science/Policy and New Programs, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, is quoted in this article about Administrator Wheeler’s claim that he disbanded two advisory panels of scientific experts because they were preventing the EPA from meeting deadlines set by the Clean Air Act.

Trump Aims to Help Polluters by Cutting Air Quality Standards

April 3, 2019 / by

Vanessa Nason /

WhoWhatWhy

EPN member John Bachmann, former EPA Associate Director for Science/Policy and New Programs, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, is quoted in this article about the Administration’s plan to dial back the standards for particulate matter. This piece also ran in Salon.

Reagan Appointee Says EPA ‘Destroying’ Science Reviews

April 2, 2019 / by

Sean Reilly /

E&E News

Dr. Bernie Goldstein, EPN member and former EPA Chair of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee and former EPA Assistant Administrator for Research and Development, is quoted in this article covering his op-ed about the Trump Administration’s unparalleled assault on the EPA’s mechanisms for ensuring independent scientific advice.

Seattle Morning News with Dave Ross

April 2, 2019 / by

Dave Ross /

KIRO Radio 97.3 FM

Betsy Southerland, Former EPA Director, Office of Science and Technology in the Office of Water, was interviewed on Seattle Morning News about EPA deregulation and attacks on science.